Tufting machine having horizontal needles



May 12, 1970 w. s. HASLER ET AL 3,511,195

TUFTING MACHINE HAVING HORIZONTAL NEEDLES Filed July 5, 1968 7 Sheets-Sheet 1 May 12, 1970 w. s. HASLER ETA!- 3,511,195

TUFTING MACHINE HAVING HORIZONTAL NEEDLES Filed July 5. 1968 7 Sheets-Sheet 2 May 12, 1970 w. s. HASLER L 3,511,195

TUFTING MACHINE HAVING HORIZONTAL NEEDLES 7 Sheets-Sheet 5 Filed July 5, 1968 n m m R m 6% @w May 12, 1970 w. s. HASLER EFAL 3,511,195

TUFTING MACHINE HAVING HORIZONTAL NEEDLES '7 Sheets-Sheet 4 Filed July 5, 1968 .WHHL

May 12, 1970 w. s. HASLER ETAL 3,511,195

TUFTING MACHINE HAVING HORIZONTAL NEEDLES Filed July 5, 1968 7 Sheets-Sheet 6 May 12, 1970 w. s. HASLER T 3,511,195

TUFTING MACHINE HAVING HORIZONTAL NEEDLES 7 Sheets-Sheet '7 Filed July 5, 1968 United States Patent 3,511,195 TUFTING MACHINE HAVIYG HORIZONTAL NEEDLES William Sandford Hasler, Blackburn, and John Edward Hibbitt, Darwen, England, assignors to Singer-Cobble Limited, Blackburn, England Filed July 5, 1968, Ser. No. 742,801 Claims priority, application Great Britain, July 5, 1967, 30,923/ 67 Int. Cl. Dc /10, 15/20,]5/22 US. Cl. 11279 9 Claims ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE The invention concerns a tufting machine wherein looper and needle-stroke mechanisms are arranged on respective crossbeams extending in spaced parallel relationship between end pillars, the cross-beams defining a vertical slot therebetween, the loopers of the looper mechanism and the corresponding needles of the needle stroke mechanism co-operating together in a position aligned with such slot. In the machine the needles reciprocate in a generally horizontal direction and the tufted fabrics issues from the machine in a vertical direction, thus to be readily available for immediate inspection.

The invention concerns tufting machines.

In conventional tufting machines it is usual for the tufting needles to reciprocate vertically, or substantially so, and for the hessian or other backing fabric through which tufts are inserted by the needles to pass through the machine in a horizontal plane, the needles entering the backing fabric from above and co-operating with loopers arranged below the fabric. In such an arrangement the drive mechanism whereby the needles are re ciprocated is, of necessity disposed in the upper regions of the machine thus to give the machine, as a whole, a high centre of gravity. The nature of the motion of the needles and the drive mechanisms therefor, together with the high centre of gravity of the machine, combine to create a need for heavy end structures for the machine to give a requisite degree of stability.

This general arrangement does give rise to the further difiiculty that in machines constructed in accordance therewith the accessibility of certain of those machine components requiring periodic adjustment during the running of the machine or which require adjustment to vary the characteristics of the tufted product is poor.

The primary object of the present invention is to provide an alternative form of tufting machine which avoids the disadvantages as aforesaid of conventional such machines, which has a relatively low centre of gravity and in which the accessibility of the machine components which would normally require attention or the machine parts at which an operator would from time to time require to work, say to repair a broken yarn, is improved.

According to the present invention, a tufting machine includes two end cabinets arranged in spaced apart disposition, a first cross-beam extending between the said end cabinets, a second cross-beam arranged in spaced,

3,511,195 Patented May 12, 1970 opposed disposition relative to the first such beam and likewise extending between the end cabinets, the said cross-beam defining a substantially vertically extending slot therebetween, a needle stroke mechanism supported on the first cross-beam and adapted to impart a substantially horizontally directed reciprocatory motion to a multiplicity of tufting needles, a looper mechanism supported on the second cross-beam, the needles of the needle stroke mechanism being co-operable with corresponding loopers of the looper mechanism at a position aligned with the said slot, and a drive means within one or both end cabinets adapted to impart a cyclical and synchronised motion to the needle stroke and looper mechanisms.

The tufting machine also includes a yarn feed arrangement whereby yarn is fed to the tufting needles according to requirements, such arrangement presenting a patterning means or not as preferred, the machine furthermore including guide and feed rollers adapted continuously or discontinuously to progress a backing fabric through the vertically extending slot, preferably in an upward direction, and between the needles and the cooperating loopers.

The invention will now be described further, by way of example only with reference to the accompanying drawings in which:

FIG. 1 is a schematic front elevation of a machine constructed in accordance with the invention;

FIG. 2 is a typical cross section through the machine of FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a view on line IIIIII of FIG. 2;

FIG. 4 is a plan view of the needle stroke mechanism of the machine;

FIG. 5 is a section on line VV of FIG. 4; drawn to a larger scale;

FIG. 6 is a view from the left of FIG. 5;

FIG. 7 is a transverse section taken on line VIIVII of FIG. 1 and shows the mounting of the looper mechanism on a machine cross-beam;

FIG. 8 is a plan view of FIG. 7;

FIG. 9 is a diagrammatic end elevation of a machine and shows the path followed by the-yarn and fabric; and

FIG. 10 is a view corresponding to a part of FIG. 9 but showing a machine provided with a pattern attachment.

Referring now to the drawings, and particularly to FIGS. 1 to 3 thereof, a tufting machine comprises spaced end cabinets, 11, 12 a needle stroke cross-beam 13 extending between such cabinets, the said cross-beam also being supported on legs 14 arranged at intervals therealong, and a looper cross-beam 15 between the cabinets. The cross-beam 13 supports the needle stroke mechanism 16 and various yarn and fabric guide and feed means, whilst the looper cross-beam 15 carries the needle plate 17 and the looper mechanism 18. The main drive for the machine and the various transmission mechanisms for the separate parts of such machine are located in the end cabinets. As the main drive and transmission mechanism associated therewith themselves form no part of the present invention, their construction and operation will not be described in detail.

Various fabric guide rollers are provided at spaced intervals vertically of the machine, such rOllers comprising a bottom guide roller 19 located forwardly of the legs 14 and below the level of the cross-beam 15, a tube 20 substantially vertically above the guide roller, a first pin roller 21 upwardly and forwardly of the tube but closely adjacent thereto, a second pin roller 22 vertically above and spaced from the first such roller, such second pin roller being supported by brackets 23 extending upwardly and forwardly from the cross-beam 13, and a top guide roller 24 upwardly and rearwardly of the second pin roller and adjacent thereto. The pin rollers 21, 22 are positively driven in synchronism from respective transmission boxes 25, 26 housed within the end cabinet 12. The transmission boxes collectively form a transmission mechanism of the character of that disclosed in British patent specification No. 778,471.

The yarn guide and yarn feed means comprises a guide roller 27 provided at the front of the machine and at substantially the same horizontal level as the bottom fabric guide roller 19, two spaced yarn feed rollers 28, 29 mounted in brackets 30 at the front of the needle stroke cross-beam, and yarn guides 31 on the top of the main cross-beam.

The needle stroke mechanism 16 is best shown in FIGS. 4 and and includes a needle-stroke shaft 32 extending longitudinally of the machine and supported at intervals therealong by plummer blocks 33 secured to the main cross-beam 13 by bolts 34, a plurality of drive levers 35 keyed to the shaft and extending radially thereof, a link arrangement 36 pivotally mounted in the remote end of each drive lever, and a plurality of push rods 37 each carried by a respective said link. A push rod housing 38 is provided in respect of each push rod, each such housing having a through bore 38a thereto to receive the respective push rod 37 into reciprocable relationship therewith, and each push rod has a foot 39 at the forward end thereof, a needle bar 40 being secured to the push rod feet so as to extend parallel to the needle stroke shaft 32.

The drive levers 35 are of generally Y-shape when viewed in front elevation, and the respective link arrangement 36, which is of U-form, is journalled to the bifurcated end thereof. The link arrangement 36 comprises spaced side-links 36a the forward ends of which are connected respectively to the opposed limbs 35a of the drive lever, and a block 36b disposed between the links at the rearward end thereof, the said block being connected to the links by pins 36c extending outwardly from two opposite sides thereof.

The push rod housing 38 comprises a generally sleevelike member having an outwardly flanged forward end thereto, the housing being secured to the needle stroke cross-beam 13 by bolts 41 passing through such flange. A bush 42 is provided within the bore to the housing and an oil seal 43 is located at the forward end thereof.

An adjustable yarn jerker mechanism of conventional form is provided at the forward end of the push rod arrangement, such mechanism comprising a gmide member 44a secured to the push rod feet and a guide member 44b, such member being adjustably secured to the top of the needle stroke cross-beam 13. A further guide 44c is mounted on the needle bar.

A drive is transmitted to the needle-stroke shaft from within the end cabinets 11, 12 the shaft 32 being coupled at its ends to stub shafts 45, 46 extending from such cabinets, the said shafts transmitting an oscillatory motion to the needle stroke shaft.

The looper mechanism 18 is best shown in FIGS. 7 and 8 and will be seen to comprise a looper shaft 47 arranged parallel to the needle stroke shaft 32, and a plurality of looper shaft brackets 48 at intervals longitudinally of the machine and secured to the looped crossbeam. The brackets 48, as is clearly apparent from FIG. 7 of the drawings, are each of multi-part construction, the lower part of each bracket being firmly attached to the cross-beam 15 and the upper part, which part presents a bearing for the looper shaft 47, being releasably mounted on such lower part. This particular arrangement of parts presents the advantage that that bracket part which includes the looper shaft bearing can be removed and a corresponding bracket part substituted, the said corresponding bracket part substituted, the said corresponding part being adapted to support a looper shaft and, if appropriate, a cutter means. If desired the upper bracket part may itself be of multi-part construction, one element thereof presenting a bearing for the looper shaft and a further element presenting a bearing for the said cutter means. The loopers are mounted relative to the shaft for reciprocatory motion to and from a position adjacent the needles. An oscillatory motion is applied to the looper shaft from within the end cabinets, the said shaft being coupled at its ends to stub axles extending outwardly from the cabinets and to which the appropriate motion is applied.

An adjustable bed-plate 49 is supported on the looper cross-beam, the said bed-plate being apertured at intervals to receive the feet of the brackets 48 and to allow such brackets to be secured to the cross-beam, the bed-plate being of generally L-shaped transverse cross section and supporting the needle plate assembly 17 in substantially vertical disposition. The bed-plate has rack members 50 secured to the underside thereof which extend through apertures 52 in the top of the cross-beam to engage pinion members 53 located in corresponding positions on an adjustment shaft 54 located within the cross-beam, and rotatably supported in bearing blocks 55 secured to the cross-beam. The bed-plate 49 is secured in position relative to the cross-beam 15 by means of bolts 56 (FIG. 8) engaging screw-threaded holes in the cross-beam, such bolts passing through elongate slots 57 in the bed-plate.

A presser foot 58 (FIG. 5) is provided in opposed relationship to the needle plate 17, the said presser foot being mounted on brackets 59 extending forwardly of and from the main cross-beam 13. The presser foot is movable towards or away from the needle plate by any convenient means, for example by the rack and pinion arrangement as illustrated.

A schematic side elevation of the machine and of the paths followed by the yarn and the backing fabric is shown in FIG. 9. The yarn Y passes from a creel to the tufting machine through tubes in conventional manner, the yarn being applied to the machine at guide roller 27 and then passing to the spaced yarn feed rollers 28, 29 and the yarn guides 31. From the rearmost yarn guide 31 the yarn passes to the fixed element 44b of the jerker mechanism 44.

The backing fabric F passes from a roll 62 located rearwardly of the machine to reach the machine at bottom guide roller 19, such fabric moving vertically through the machine over elements 20, 21, 22 and 24. From the top guide roller 24 the backing fabric, which fabric has now been tufted, moves around various guide rollers 63 to a take-up roll 64, the guide rollers 63 including a vertically movable dancing roller or the like to accommodate variations in output speed or to allow of a stoppage of either the tufting machine, whilst permitting a continued fabric take-up, or of the fabric take-up, whilst permitting a continued operation of the tufting machine.

If the machine is to be provided with a patterning attachment, see now FIG. 10, the attachment 66 will be positioned remote from the machine although a drive will still be taken therefrom to maintain synchronisation, the design of machine lending itself to this location of attachment and facilitating the threading and servicing of such attachment. In the event that the machine is to be provided with a patterning attachment, for example of the character of that disclosed in prior British patent specification No. 919,446, the yarn feed roller of the arrangement shown in FIG. 9 are replaced by puller rollers 67 arranged within the tufting machine and the individual yarns 68 pass from feed rolls 69 to the puller rollers 67 through a tube bank 70 disposed within a casing 71 which is of generally U-shaped form when viewed in end elevation, the said casing receiving a platform 72 disposed at the front of the machine and beneath which the yarns pass. From the puller rollers 67 the yarns pass to the respective needles. By locating the feed rolls 69 in the position envisaged their accessibility is much enhanced, and the platform provides a means whereby a single operative can view the operation of the machine and of the pattern attachment.

The tufting machine hereinbefore described is thought to present various advantages as compared with conventional machines wherein the motion of the needles is generally vertical. The accessibility of the needles and loopers is, of course, much improved, the needles and loopers now being found at the rear of the machine and at waist height. If it is necessary to adjust or to effect a repair to the needle stroke mechanism whilst a backing fabric is present in the machine then access to the appropriate parts of the machine might readily be had, subject to the removal or displacement of any yarns thereagainst. So far as the tufted fabric itself is concerned, this leaves the tufting station as a vertically extending sheet and as such is readily available for immediate examination purposes should this prove necessary. The center of gravity of the machine is lowered significantly, the heavy eccentric mechanisms normally present in the uppermost parts and the superstructure known in conventional tufting machines not being present. The greater proportion of the weight of the machine is below the tufting position and this enhances the stability of the machine. We have found, also, that by providing all the transmission mechanisms in the end cabinets or below the tufting position the lubrication of the moving parts is much facilitated and the possibility of contaminating the yarn or fabric much reduced. A significant advantage, and one which will be of importance in the use or manufacture of the machine, lies in the fact that the end cabinets which house the various drive and transmission mechanisms are complete in themselves and are common to all machines irrespective of size and gauge. Thus, if it is desired to produce a tufting machine of a given length, then a needle-stroke cross-beam and a looper cross-beam both of an appropriate length, together with the components supported thereby, is applied to spaced end cabinets arranged at the appropriate separation, a drive being transmitted to the looper shaft and needle stroke shaft by coupling such shafts to the stub shafts extending from the cabinets. To produce a machine of a different length then a needle-stroke cross-beam and a looper cross-beam of the appropriate but different length will be used. A further consequence of the construction envisaged is that the looper shaft or needle-stroke shaft can be removed without disturbing the drive or transmission mechanism within the end cabinets. The needle or looper bars can also be readily removed if necessary.

The invention is not limited to the exact feature of the embodiment hereinbefore described and illustrated. Thus, for example, alternative drive mechanisms for the needles and loopers may be utilised if preferred. If it is desired to produce a cut-pile fabric then appropriate cutter means will be provided, the shaft of such means being mounted, for example, in removable brackets which form extensions to the looper shaft brackets, and the drive to the shaft being taken from stub axles extending outwardly from the end cabinets.

What we claim is:

1. A tufting machine including two end cabinets arranged in spaced-apart disposition, first and second crossbeams extending between and secured to the said end cabinets, the said cross-beams being spaced one from the other and defining a generally vertically directed slot therebetween, a needle bar having a multiplicity of needles extending therefrom supported on the first crossbeam, a needle-stroke mechanism likewise mounted on the first cross-beam and operatively connected to the needle bar so as to impart a reciprocatory motion thereto, a looper mechanism supported on the second cross-beam, the loopers of such mechanism being cooperable with respective needles of the needle bar at a position in alignment with the slot defined by and between the first and second cross-beams, the said looper mechanism including a looper shaft and a plurality of looper shaft brackets arranged in spaced intervals axially thereof and whereby such shaft is supported relative to a respective cross-beam, the said looper shaft brackets each being of multi-part construction, a first part of the bracket being adapted to be firmly secured in position relative to the machine and the other part, which part presents bearing means for a looper shaft, being adapted to be releasably secured to the said first part, a drive means disposed within at least one of the end cabinets and adapted to apply a cyclical and synchronized motion to the needle-stroke mechanism and the looper mechanism, a yarn feed arrangement whereby yarn is fed to the needles according to requirements, and a guide and feed roller system adapted to progress a backing fabric through the aforesaid slot and between the needles and cooperating loopers.

2. A tufting machine including two end cabinets arranged in spaced-apart disposition, first and second crossbeams extending between and secured to thesaid end cabinets, the said cross-beams being spaced one from the other and defining a generally vertically directed slot therebetween, a needle bar having a multiplicity of needles extending therefrom supported on the first crossbeam, a needle-stroke mechanism likewise mounted on the first cross-beam and operatively connected to the needle bar, said needle-stroke mechanism including a needle-stroke shaft disposed for driving connection with a drive means, plurality of drive levers secured to the shaft for motion therewith, a push rod pivotally coupled to each drive lever, the said push rods being secured to said needle bar, a linkage intermediate each drive lever and its respective push rod, the said mechanism being adapted to impart a reciprocating motion to the needle hat upon oscillatory motion of the needle-stroke shaft, a looper mechanism including a plurality of loopers supported on the second cross-beam, said loopers being cooperable with respective needles of the needle bar at a position in alignment with the slot defined by and between the first and second cross-beams, a drive means disposed within at least one of the end cabinets and adapted to apply a cyclical and synchronized motion to the needlestroke mechanism and the looper mechanism, a yarn feed arrangement whereby yarn is fed to the needles according to requirements, and a guide and feed roller system adapted to progress a backing fabric through the aforementioned slot and between the needles and cooperating loopers.

3. A tufting machine as claimed in claim 2, further including a push rod housing in respect to each push rod, the said housing being secured to the first cross-beam and defining a guide relative to which the said push rod moves.

4. A tufting machine as claimed in claim 2 further including an adjustable bed-plate on the second crossbeam, and a needle-plate secured to the said bed-plate.

5. A tufting machine as claimed in claim 6 wherein the said bed-plate is apertured to permit of the direct mounting of the looper mechanism upon the second crossbeam and the displacement of the bed-plate relative to such mechanism.

6. A tufting machine as claimed in claim 2 wherein the looper mechanism includes a looper shaft and a plurality of looper shaft brackets arranged at spaced intervals axially thereof and whereby such shaft is supported relative to a respective cross-beam, the said looper shaft brackets each being of multi-part construction, a first part of the bracket being adapted to be firmly secured in position relative to the machine and the other part, which part presents bearing means for a looper shaft, being adapted to be releasably secured to the said first part.

7. A tufting machine as claimed in claim 2 including a patterning attachment driven in synchronism therewith.

3. A tufting machine as claimed in claim 7 including a tube bank intermediate the said attachment and puller rolls upon the second cross-beam whereby the yarns are advanced to the needles, the said tube bank being disposed within a casing of generally U-forrn and which presents a working platform adjacent to and in alignment with the machine.

9. A tufting machine as claimed in claim 2 further in cluding upper and lower guide rollers arranged in parallel disposition in alignment with the vertically extending slot and adapted to guide a tufted fabric along a'generally vertical path through and beyond the slot.

References Cited JAMES R. BOLER, Primary Examiner US. Cl. X.R. 

